29. Shadows (1959)
Influential, how? The godfather of indie.
Actor John Cassavetes resolved to make a movie his way, on the streets of New York, with friends and acting students, and money raised by public donation.
The result was as fresh and alive as the bebop he used to score it.
Money shot: The end title card - “The movie you have just seen was an improvisation…”
30. Room At The Top (1959)
Influential, how? Class becomes an issue.
With its grimy canals and sexual frankness, Jack Clayton’s film kick-started the Brit New Wave.
Laurence Harvey’s slimy social climber set the pattern for a gallery of class-conscious protagonists in a whole decade of British movies.
Money shot: Harvey, preparing for his wedding, overhears people describing his lover’s agonising death.
31. Breathless (1960)
Influential, how? Jumping to the next level.
The French New Wave found its most revolutionary expression in this debut feature from critic Jean-Luc Godard.
Francois Truffaut provided the basic story outline about a young hoodlum (Jean-Paul Belmondo) and his doomed relationship with an American girl (Jean Seberg) in Paris, but it was Godard who shook up the system with jerky jump-cut rhythms, handheld camera work and a penchant for mixing lofty dialogue with low-brow action.
For once, the artist didn’t hide behind the story – Godard invited the audience right behind the looking glass.
Money shot: Belmondo draws his thumb across his lip in homage to Humphrey Bogart. Cinema enters its self-conscious stage.
32. Psycho (1960)
Influential, how? Horror comes home.
In many ways, the first truly modern American film: Hollywood movies lost their innocence here, in the shower with the shockingly brutal rubbing-out of the picture’s apparent star.
In 1960, many critics were appalled by what Time called “one of the messiest, most nauseating murders ever filmed”.
These days, it seems relatively discreet, but overwhelmingly sad – not least because it inaugurated the mostly shabby serial depravities of the slasher film.
It was also a radical rethink for Hitchcock, a low-budget black-and-white movie with no frills.
Money shot: The shower scene, with its multiple cuts, chocolate-sauce blood and implicit nudity.
Comments
avoidz
Apr 3rd 2009, 14:41
Great article; one of your best. Thanks!
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filmgeek27
Apr 5th 2009, 10:58
Great feature. I have to admit to not buying the magazine for a few months now (I've just been clicking on to the website) but after that I'm going to go out and get this issue
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waldolydecker
Apr 17th 2009, 9:44
Oops! Your "Room at the Top" still is in fact a scene from Clouzot's "Les Diaboliques", starring Simone Signoret and Vera Clouzot - another influential film, no doubt. How could you forget "Rebecca", "Laura", "Singin' in the Rain", etc. Your list is interesting however, but quite a few of the contemporary titles quoted are worthless and will be forgotten in 10 years from now. Wanna bet? See you in 2019!
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WisdomPersona
Apr 17th 2009, 14:40
For the most part, a great list. However, why choose "Mean Streets" as the film that 'plugged in the jukebox'? "American Graffiti" had far more pre-recorded songs, and was released three months earlier. What gives?
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horrorfilmx
Apr 17th 2009, 17:43
Interesting article, but you mention that "Star Wars revolutionised CG visual effects". Star Wars had no CG visual effects, at least not until Lucas redid it decades later. That's why the original Star Wars looks so much more real than all the CGI junk that followed it, and why a generation raised on video games considers it "dated" and "cheesy" --- because they have to grounding in reality any more.
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futureman
Apr 18th 2009, 4:02
Good article but s didn't Superman bring about synergy? They completed a whole series of movies before the first Batman. I was also surprised there was no mention of the movies that influenced the sequel.
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Apathygrrl
Apr 18th 2009, 18:11
I'm actually surprised to find that the original King Kong isn't on your list.
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daveman14
Apr 19th 2009, 2:02
Great list but I'm surprised you left off Trip to the Moon by Melies as it is the first narrative film in history.
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Asterix
Apr 19th 2009, 3:03
Awesome article, but..... Why "Cableguy" (1996) and not "Back to the Future" (1985) (a family movie - the most influential travel time movie)? Why "Batman" (1989) and not "Superman - the movie" (1978) (You can believe a man can fly!...perfectly - the first comic book adaptation of all time)? And, where's the Godfather?????????
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grantmccall
Apr 19th 2009, 4:14
I'm quite surprised that the first feature film ever made isn't in this list: The story of the kelly gang - It's an Australian film, 60 minutes in length.It precedes "Birth of a nation" by 9 years. Oh well, us Aussies usually get left out of most important lists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Kelly_Gang
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grantmccall
Apr 19th 2009, 4:15
I'm quite surprised that the first feature film ever made isn't in this list: The story of the kelly gang - It's an Australian film, 60 minutes in length.It precedes "Birth of a nation" by 9 years. Oh well, us Aussies usually get left out of most important lists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Kelly_Gang
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heidavey
Apr 19th 2009, 20:08
You're first film is 7 years too late - "Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge" is widely regarded as the first film, that was followed by "Roundhay garden scene" both in 1888 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343112/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0392728/
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Jawsphobia
Apr 22nd 2009, 16:26
In the Blade Runner blurb, neon noir, looks more like a typo of the proper term neo-noir than a play on words. And although Blade Runner has some neon in it it is not wall-to-wall at all.
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ciaraosullivan
Aug 17th 2012, 17:10
I'm surprised that you left out Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
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